Days before New Yorkers are to begin receiving Gov. Kathy Hochul's energy rebate checks, the governor's Republican challenger in the upcoming election said voters can see through her motives.
"It's a scheme, and it's election year trick, where she's going to mail everybody a check between $100 and $200, after she's raised your utility bills annually from 700 to $1,000 or more, depending on the size of your home," Nassau County Executive and Republican candidate for governor Bruce Blakeman said at a campaign stop in Greece this morning.
He blamed Democratic policies for pushing up utility rates. An analysis by the New York Independent System Operator points to natural gas prices, aging infrastructure and tightening power supplies.
Blakeman vowed to cut utility rates in half if he is elected, by signing an emergency order to lift the state's ban on fracking.
Environmentalists have long opposed the practice of extracting oil and natural gas from deep underground rock formations due to concerns over water safety, air quality, and climate stability.
New York's ban was first enacted by executive order under then-Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2014. The state legislature codified the ban into state law in 2020.
After a years-long environmental review, the state Department of Environmental Conservation concluded that the risks to public health and safety outweighed economic benefits.
Blakeman said he also opposes green energy programs including the installation of large-scale solar arrays on agricultural land and offshore wind projects.
A spokesperson for Gov. Hochul's campaign said in a statement, "“As New Yorkers deal with Donald Trump’s record-high gas prices, Governor Hochul is getting $1 billion in energy rebate checks to New York families, but ‘100% MAGA’ Bruce Blakeman opposes every dollar Governor Hochul puts back in your pocket – from tariff relief for farmers and small businesses, to cutting the cost of car insurance, and universal childcare that saves parents tens of thousands every year."
